Senior Litigation Legal Assistant

Shakespeare Martineau is a leading law firm that combines creativity, commerciality and clarity. We work with blue-chip companies, leading organisations, high street brands and individuals across the country.

Our multi-disciplinary team delivers a broad range of specialist legal services, and particularly stands out for its expertise across sectors including, but not limited to: energy, education, banking and financial services, investment funds, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. 

We’re proud of our people’s varied backgrounds and expertise. Our different qualities stand out and make us interesting to our clients.

We firmly believe in working hard and being ambitious. We look to recruit and develop talented people to achieve their potential - and who will contribute to achieving ours too.

Here you can fulfil your ambitions, whatever they are and however rapidly you want to achieve them. Together, and individually, we create exceptional results.

Our Litigation & Dispute Resolution group has a long-standing experience of working with some of the most successful and influential businesses in the UK and also internationally. Our specialist teams combine expertise with a sound understanding of the commercial landscape to provide exceptional solutions for every aspect of our clients’ corporate requirements.

Our specialist Defendant Insurance team represent a variety of blue-chip clients, insurers and intermediaries advising in all matters of contention arising out of employer, public, property and motor liability claims. In addition to defending such claims we lead, often as part of the first response team, investigations into causation liaising with all relevant stakeholders. Additionally we advise insurers and syndicates on matters of indemnity and coverage including declaratory proceedings. We are also known for representing household insurance names, often dealing with very complex and high value claims. With an insurance pedigree going back to the 1960’s, our aim is to become the premium service provider of choice within the insurance market.

The role:

You will provide a high quality legal service to clients on a full range of defendant insurance matters.

Your key duties will be:

• assisting the head of the team and, where necessary, other senior members to produce high quality legal services to clients on a broad range of defendant insurance work
• dealing with clients and third parties in a professional manner, maintaining close and regular contact, as required
• assisting with monthly billing, all client specific billing and other related financial administration
• dealing with all forms of liability, injury and motor claims
• carrying out legal research in relation to liability disputes, case law and technical areas of insurance law
• supporting and assisting the head of department and other senior fee earners in the delivery of service level agreements
• assisting with promotional and business development activity, as required
• maintaining good file management, including electronic and paper storage, archiving and filing
• taking telephone calls, handling queries and enquiries, where appropriate
• photocopying, scanning and collating documentation
• opening and closing files, as required
• carrying out legal research as required
• overseeing and managing the management information requirements for a key client

Skills and experience you will have:

• a minimum of 12 - 18 months’ previous experience of contentious legal work is desirable, preferably with motor liability experience of dealing with small and fast track claims
• the ability to run a case load of motor claims with minimal supervision
• confidence with IT skills, particular Microsoft Word and Excel
• previous experience of dealing with Management Information (MI)
• previous experience in using a case management system

Key competencies you will need:

• a desire to exceed client expectations
• strong negotiation and communication skills
• the ability to build rapport with colleagues and clients alike
• a high degree of initiative and the ability to cope in a demanding environment
• excellent organisational and prioritising skills

About you – you will be:

• highly enthusiastic, willing to go the extra mile and be happy to go beyond the job description
• respectful towards others and have a positive, willing and ‘can do’ attitude
• keen to learn, interested in driving your own career progression and be proactive in taking ownership of this

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.

Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.